Aristotle, Autonomy, and Design
Abstract
Autonomy, in the Western Enlightenment tradition, is the condition of self-governance. The autonomous person is ruled by her reason. In this way, she is free of both the internal impositions of passion and appetite and the external impositions of the pretensions authority and the coercive force of others. Autonomy, understood in this way, lies at the heart of the liberal tradition of Western individualism. It is the only legitimate basis for political authority. It is the proper achievement of mature people in mature societies. Autonomous people are free in the right way. With their correlative respect for the autonomy of others, they are reasonable, democratic, tolerant and just.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1015273
Entities
People
- Mark N. Jensen
Organizations
- United States Air Force Academy